The Rubens Roll Into SF

The Rubens are in their Junior Year since debuting back in 2013 with their self-titled album. And like all Juniors, there is an air of confidence among them that helps lift their situation no matter where they roam.

The Rubens, a band from Australia, are far from their hometown of Menangle, New South Wales, as they embark on their “Million Man” march across the US, Canada, and half of Europe! In all, the band will visit 20 cities in 7 countries and be back in Oz by mid-April. They’ll hit the heights of LA, Toronto, Boston, NY, Berlin, Paris, London and Glasgow along the way. Quite a schedule for these fish out of water.

Energetic and a bit sleep-deprived, the band rolled into town on their tour bus still on a high from their kick-off show in LA the night before. They began an hour long set taking the stage at Cafe du Nord just after 9:45 pm. The basement club, which lies beneath the Swedish American Hall, will comfortably fit 150 people, which was about where the crowd stood last night. And boasting a full bar with plenty of good beer choices, the club was buzzin’.

Those who gathered near to the stage were treated to a seemingly private show along with their close friends. The rest seemed to relish in the space they had to dance, groove, or whatever that one guy was doing. The “Million Man” single spearheads their setlist of hits and crowd favorites, and will be included on their upcoming album to be released in early 2018. It follows their second album “Hoops” (2015) which garnered critical acclaim and chart-topping numbers.

Peaking at no. 2 on the Australian Albums Chart, it gave us songs like “Hoops”, “Switchblade”, “Bitter End”, and “Battles”. All gritty subject matter and musicianship combined. Working with top-notch producers and musicians helps some, too. This latest single and pending album is no exception.

“The story of “Million Man” began at 2013’s Laneway Music Festival, where The Rubens befriended New York City rapper EL-P and his band, which included his Run The Jewels producers/collaborators, brothers Wilder Zoby and Little Shalimar (aka Torbitt Schwartz). After a few nights spent drinking in New York at a bar that Torbitt and Wilder co-owned, it seemed their effortless friendship could lead to a pretty interesting musical collaboration.”

The Rubens is a five-piece alternative rock band originally from Menangle, New South Wales. The band comprises the three Margin brothers, Elliott, Zaac and Sam as well as friends Scott Baldwin and William Zeglis. The bands 2016 sophomore album, Hoops, is now certified ARIA Gold while their title track is now ARIA Certified Platinum and was awarded #1 on Triple J Hottest 100 Chart. The band has also opened for several major acts including Bruce Springsteen, The Black Keys and Grouplove.

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Infectious Magazine was born out of passion. Out of a love for the live music scene and the feelings and emotions that one incredible live show, one perfect album, or one incredible song can inspire. We seek to bring you not only the latest news on your favorite bands, but on the bands that we know will become your favorites. We strive to keep the scene alive by exposing emerging artists, while also introducing our readers to stories of success, struggle, and motivation in our latest slew of music business features.